We are delighted to confirm that IFST has been granted permission by the Privy Council to petition to become a Chartered body. This is an exciting and important milestone for the Institute and one which we have been working towards for very many years. Part of our petition involves submitting to the Privy Council a draft Charter and Bylaws which would ultimately replace our current constitution currently set out in our Memorandum and Articles. During IFST's Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM), our members voted in support of the petition and the proposed changes.
Recollecting the event, IFST President Helen Munday, celebrates the occasion in this blog describing the events of the EGM and the next steps.
"Thursday 9 December 2021 saw a milestone for IFST. At its Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM), members gave overwhelming support for us to petition Her Majesty’s Privy Council for the incorporation of the Institute by Royal Charter.
As I said at the EGM, this is a topic that many members, be they on the current or previous Boards, or as Professional members have a great passion for - believing that attainment of Chartership status will raise our profession and, in turn, the Institute to new heights. I also acknowledged the long road that we have been on to reach this point and although we have not attained our final destination yet; yesterday demonstrated the clear intent to achieve that goal. The Privy Council have indicated that, in accepting our petition, we have the full potential to succeed in our ambitions and we very much hope that with some further investment of time and effort, our tenacity will bring the reward of Chartership.
I’d like to recognise this landmark moment by firstly thanking IFST members for their support with the exceptionally high turnout we saw at the EGM. But, even more importantly, to put on record, enormous thanks to those who have made this petition possible. There are many Trustees and members of the Executive team (past and present) who rightly qualify in the category of ‘without whom’.
To name them would risk missing someone who, at some point, has made a significant contribution. So, I shall simply thank all those who have in some way contributed to this achievement, you know who you are!
The next steps may well take some time, and it is not guaranteed we will be successful, but we will be sure to keep you updated on progress and please continue to offer your support to the Institute as we venture into this new uncharted territory towards Chartership."
Helen Munday - President of the Institute of Food Science & Technology